I’m looking for suggestions for electronic albums in any sub-genre that you think exemplify dedication to craft and careful consideration of detail in any aspect: production, sound design, composition, etc.
Here are examples of some artists that I think have consistently released music in this vein:
- Daft Punk (on this list particularly due to everyone’s go-to for great production, Random Access Memories)
- Tipper
- Yosi Horikawa
- The Flashbulb
- Shpongle
- Lusine
- Eli & Fur
- KOAN Sound
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Boards of Canada - the entire discography
For something fresh I don’t see listed: Vegyn - Only Diamonds Cut Diamonds
Really any albums from:
- Boards of Canada
- Amon Tobin
- Flying Lotus
I mean Aphex Twin probably goes without saying, given the influence on some of the listed artists alone. Can’t go wrong with any album but “…I Care Because You Do” or either of the “Selected Ambient Works” would be good starting points. Could also throw Autechre or Squarepusher in for the same reason too!
If you want something a bit more melodic, I love Stimming’s album “Ludwig.” Lisa Bella Donna’s stuff is also a treat.
And I’ll sneak in another style yet with Helene Vogelsinger! “Contemplation” is a great album.
Yes! His “Selected ambient works” are out of this world!
I’ve listened to Selected Ambient Works and Squarepusher’s Hard Normal Daddy in the past, both great! Have also listened to lots of Lisa Bella Donna. Have somehow never dived deep into Autechre before. Thanks for all the good recommendations!
My pleasure! The other suggestions in the comments are excellent too, you’ll have a ton of music to explore here.
I’m not sure if it technically counts as electronic music, but I really liked Aphex Twin’s Computer Controlled Analogue Instruments.
The effort that went into recording it must have been enormous, and I wish I could have been in the room when the tracks were recorded.
I’ll throw in a few:
- Four Tet (Rounds is generally regarded as amazing, I am a big fan of Sixteen Oceans)
- Caribou (each subsequent album is more intricate than the previous)
- Kuedo
- SBTRKT
- Sepalcure
- Autechre
- Chapelier Fou
- Kid Koala
autechre!
Four Tet’s unpronounceable side-project is great too. Search for: ⣎⡇ꉺლ༽இ•̛)ྀ◞ ༎ຶ ༽ৣৢ؞ৢ؞ؖ ꉺლ
This EP is a great place to start: ooo ̟̞̝̜̙̘̗̖҉̵̴̨̧̢̡̼̻̺̹̳̲̱̰̯̮̭̬̫̪̩̦̥̤̣̠҈͈͇͉͍͎͓͔͕͖͙͚͜͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢ͅ oʅ͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡( ؞ৢ؞ؙؖ⁽⁾˜ัิีึื์๎้็๋๊⦁0 ̟̞̝̜̙̘̗̖҉̵̴̨̧̢̡̼̻̺̹̳̲̱̰̯̮
It’s a bit more analogue than his normal stuff? But definitely hits the “intricately crafted” mark!
Ha, yeah, I have those and my DAP hates them
Burial - Untrue
Igorrr is great. Boards of Canada. very good. Aphex Twin was my favorite thing for like a year. and very recently i’ve been enamoured by Patricia Taxxon. its queer as fuck furry art, and it makes me cry every time i listen. the texture of her sound is really intricate, it feels tactile to me. lots of super well crafted sound synthesis. i like it alot.
Glad I didn’t have to scroll to see Aphex Twin mentioned. 🙂
If I had to recommend one artist, it would definitely be this. I’ve never heard anything like it. Chaotic, lighthearted, masterfully crafted beats and percussions, and a lot of heart. There’s also a little world built around the music with alien creatures and their own languages.
Yes! Great recommendation. Neō Wax Bloom is an overwhelming 40 minutes, but Iglooghost’s colorful sound palette and sense of melody keeps it intensely listenable. I’m amazed by how he fuses recorded instruments and synthesized soundscapes like it’s nothing.
just listened through Neō Wax Bloom which was very enjoyable. I think the more you listen through this album, the more small things you notice…
I’d highly recommend these - they’re not all strictly electronic but I feel there’s overlap at least:
- Sasha - Scene Delete
- Jon Hopkins - Immunity
- Daniel Avery - Drone Logic
- Bonobo - Black Sands
- BT - This Binary Universe
- Boards of Canada - Tomorrow’s Harvest
- Hugo Kant - Far From Home
- Bicep - Bicep
- Sub Focus - Sub Focus
Bonobo spans genres but he’s probably my favourite artist right now. His Late Night Tales entry (not electronic) was one of the best albums I’ve ever heard.
- Starcadian, any of his albums but especially Radio Galaxy.
He says he “makes ear movies,” and I’d say that’s about the best description. His music is very cinematic but also expansive and diverse. Radio Galaxy in particular reminds me very favorably of Random access Memories in the way that it experiments with different genres a bit more than previous works.
I found Starcadian 8 years ago and I’ve listened to some of his music almost every day since. I keep finding new things.
Nicolas Jaar’s Space Is Only Noise and Olafur Arnalds’ For Now I Am Winter (slightly more neo-classical/acoustic) are two I regularly revisit precisely for how cohesively the tracks fit together. Oh, and anything by Floating Points.
Mind, none of these use 100% electronic/synthesized sounds, so I don’t know if they count.
A couple that comes to mind that I’d recommend anyone to give a listen.
- The Knife - Silent Shout
- RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke
- General Elektrisk - Good City for Dreamers
- Yesterdays New Quintet - Angels Without Edges
Future Sound of London - ISDN
Check out some mixed tapes, this is one of my faves - https://www.mixcloud.com/Hallucin8/thee-o-sunset-on-venus/
I was going to recommend ISDN as well. Also Orblivion by The Orb. Both are desert island albums for me.
Excellent! Though I might go Orbvs Terrarvm.
Yesterday Was Dramatic – Today Is OK
Studio album by MúmI’ll 2nd this. It’s one of my favorite albums.
If you’ll allow me to nerd out about drum and bass real quick:
An aptly named, obsessively produced drum and bass album. Not a huge fan of the second track, Arps of Fury, but the next track and on I feel it really picks up. Black Cloud is incredible, it’s got such an atmosphere to it.
Kimyan Law was only 22 when he produced this amazing work. No fat sausages here, just an incredibly well mixed and mastered album. Magic is a very beautiful, minimal track with purposeful breaks.
Very popular release but I have to mention it. The masters of neurofunk in their prime.
Zeitgeist by Camo and Krooked (the official youtube playlist has teaser tracks for some reason, spotify should have the full album)
Another popular release. Nostalgic and futuristic at the same time, reaching back for classic rave and funk influences while evolving the sound of DnB. This album is the first time I ever heard an “anti-drop”, where the buildup transitions into a smooth and measured drop, every instrument purposeful and sharp. Ruhepuls is a favorite track of mine.
edit: Have to mention Flawless by Electrosoul System
Another album reaching back with rave influences and 5+ minute tracks. Unique and interesting sounds and percussion, clearly very refined with tons of detail. Fake Snake is a favorite, combined with the staring cat album art makes a very hypnotic track.
Are into this mix series? It’s really good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD48PwyUD2s
I’ve never heard of it until now but this is very nicely mixed together. thanks for the link!
Pretty much any hallucinogen album
And the remasters are getting ready to drop on 7/22: https://hallucinogenmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-albums-remastered
